I Cherish You
by splenduit
Summary: His body felt like it was beginning to shut down on him. He could neither move nor speak. All Jesse could do was watch her walk away from him. St.Berry & Finnachel.


Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of glee!

Author's Notes: I started this right after Bad Rep. But I got lazy, forgive me! Now don't get my wrong, I love me some Finn and Rachel, but I just love St. Berry a tad more! It goes through all the last few episodes. Enjoy! Please review!

* * *

_I should have been enough for you. _Jesse glared at his plain wall. The embarrassment he felt at the moment was enough to make him want to crawl under a rock. The way she portrayed the music video was absolutely unbearable. 3 men fighting over her? How dare she fathom the thought that he would ever fight for her? There was absolutely no contest with those other two Neanderthals. He was Jesse St. James. The guy who managed to snag three consecutive wins at Regionals. Who was she, anyway? She was just a girl with big dreams. He could easily replace her, actually wanting to go ahead with that was the hard part.

So what if it all started off as an evil ploy to break up New Directions, and ridicule Rachel Berry? Things were different now, people change, as cliché as it might all seem. Boy goes undercover to obliterate enemy, boy uses girl, boy falls in love with girl, and boy leaves everything for girl. Yeah, it was pretty damn cliché. He didn't think he was going to fall for the girl. Jesse was only supposed to make her fall in love and break her. Quick and easy, like most girls at Carmel. Ha-Ha.

When he saw her up close that first time at the library he was pleased she turned out to be prettier in person. It would make it easier to _pretend_ to like her. Of course he should have put more emphasis on _pretend_.

He huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms. He had given up everything for Rachel. Transferring to McKinley wasn't part of the plan. He was forced to choose Vocal Adrenaline or her. He obviously made the mistake of choosing her if she was acting so ungrateful. He wanted her to look at him with those intense eyes like she did with Finn.

He was supposed to be having fun with his friends this week. But how could he be having fun when he found out Finn sang "Jesse's Girl"? It was completely ridiculous, how dare he? Where the hell did Finn come off? That idiot blew his chance with Rachel. He had to wake up and realize that Rachel was _his _girlfriend. Maybe at this point he was acting a little over-jealous. Hell yes he was going to protect what was his. He wasn't necessarily trying to sound possessive by any means, but sharing Rachel was not an option for him. She needed to bury the hatch once and for all and finally tell him how their relationship was going to go down.

He quickly stood up and began to pack; he would be on the next plane to Lima, Ohio, and finally settle all the confusion.

* * *

"When are you going to realize that Jesse doesn't feel the way I feel about you?" Finn looked down at Rachel, who was currently attempting to get out of his vice like grip. "Finn please, I care deeply about Jesse. You have to understand that he means the world to me." Finn's arms around her tightened; he wanted to make her see that he loved her so much. What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to sit idly by as some guy who came out of nowhere takes her? No. Sitting by idly was not in his "To Do" list.

"Why can't you just give me a chance? I mean, you wanted to date me so badly before, when I was an idiot and I didn't know how good I had it. But, now that I know how good I will have it, and how lucky I'd be if you were my girlfriend, you don't want to be with me?" Rachel sighed. She knew that song he sang was going to make matters worse. She probably shouldn't have asked him to go to the doctor with her, but he was her closest friend, and she needed moral support.

"Finn, things are different now. I have this amazing guy who managed to sweep me off my feet. He made me feel wanted when no one else did…" her eyes cast down to the floor, "…including you…" he suddenly let go of her.

Wow.

Talk about being a jerk. What was he supposed to say to that? "Uhm…I'm sorry my hormones got the better of me?" No. That would just make matters worse. He made one mistake and blew it. But whatever happened to second chances?

"I know I've done some less than honorable things to you…but…Rachel I'm more than just an option. I was attracted to you instantly. I don't know…I guess I was a little worried about opening my heart to someone else after that whole situation with Quinn. But I've learned to move on and I want to move on with you in my life." He looked pleadingly into her eyes; she looked past him into the mirror. She didn't recognize the girl standing before her, there was so much going on in her life at the moment, it was hard to focus on one thing alone.

Why did she have to be so damn beautiful to all these guys all of a sudden? It was a cross she'd have to bare for the rest of her life, a light cross at that.

"Finn, you've become such a great friend…" she began. Finn slowly ran his warm hand down her arm causing her to momentarily lose her train of thought. He softly kissed her cheek repeatedly, Rachel inhaled sharply. She turned to meet his face, ragged breathes coming from him; he held her face and kissed her feverishly as Rachel returned the kiss.

"What the hell is going on here?" the kiss lasted only a second. Rachel's body began to shake she looked over at the door to find Jesse standing there, anger washed over his face. He was looking over at Finn, who glared back in equal hate. The songstress's mouth began to quiver as she willed herself to say something. She opened her mouth to speak, but found herself at a loss for words.

Refusing to wait any longer for an explanation Jesse charged at Finn knocking him down at the process. He pinned the football player down with surprising force and began punching away. Adrenaline ran through his veins, he was seeing red. How dare this sad excuse of a man touch Rachel so intimately? Finn began to take the upper hand as Jesse got distracted in his thoughts, which were quickly pushed back once he found himself on the floor now.

Rachel ran out of the room only to come back with a bucket full of hot water. She proceeded to pour the water onto the fighting men. Both guys yelling in slight pain, they looked up at the culprit. Rachel breathed in heavily as she let the bucket fall on the floor. Jesse pushed Finn off of him and walked towards the girl. He glared at her momentarily before turning his attention to Finn. Who was currently seething.

"This isn't over kid." He lightly grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her to the parking lot. Unlocking his car he opened the passenger's side door, expecting Rachel to get in, which she did.

Jesse sped off, neither teens daring to say one word to each other. He stopped the car on the side of the road. The silence was eating away at him. He clenched the wheel, his knuckles growing pale from the pressure. "How could you?"

Rachel looked at her hands, shame apparent on her face. "I don't know what came over me…he-"

Jesse mockingly laughed, "You fell for that damn charm, that's what came over you. I didn't think you could ever be so gullible."

"How dare you?" she glared. He turned to her briefly, "How dare I, what? How dare I get angry at you for kissing him? How dare I beat the crap out of him for kissing you? How dare you…how dare you break my heart with no sort of remorse. You don't see what you do to me? So I went away on spring break without telling you much? I was still upset with you; I was trying to cool off before any problems between us occurred. I go away for a couple of days and you think its fair game all of a sudden?"

Rachel was currently at a loss for words. Her mind was racing, she never would have imagined being in this scenario.

"I didn't think it was fair game…I was hurt. You left without as much as a goodbye. When I lost my voice you weren't there-I was terrified and you weren't there. Finn was, though, and he made that clear. I was scared, you're the first guy I've ever even considered…sleeping with. I have such a deep connection with you; it scares me half the time. If I'm not paranoid of you betraying me for the good of vocal adrenaline, it's you finding a more suitable girl who would be willing to sleep with you."

"What are you saying, Rachel Berry?" he had given up a lot for this girl, and his heart was tearing up to pieces while she explained she wasn't good enough.

"It means, Jesse St. James that I can no longer be with you. All this paranoia is making me ill, I can't focus anymore. It would be best for the both of us to be acquaintances." She unbuckled her belt and got out of the car. Jesse didn't have the heart to follow her. His body felt like it was beginning to shut down on him. He could neither move nor speak. All Jesse could do was watch her walk away from him.

* * *

"He did what?" Finn held Rachel's hand as she explained the situation she had just come out of.

"He…they…they all threw eggs at me, knowing I'm a vegetarian. And now I just keep having nightmares of all the mother's of the little baby chicks coming after me for revenge." Her heart clenched. How could he? He left New Directions and went off with Vocal Adrenaline just like she had said he was going to do.

Loved? He _loved _her?

What a low blow. His betrayal had definitely put her in a "funk." With Regionals less than a few weeks away she didn't know what to focus on. Usually she was capable of separating her personal life with professional, but this time it was impossible.

She would, however, get over him. With time, her heart would not flutter at the mention of his name, like it did now. A part of her understood where he was coming from. She left him heart broken in the car that day when he found her kissing Finn.

She looked tenderly at Finn who was attempting to console her. Ever since the whole fiasco started he had been nothing but sweet to her. She recalled how he mentioned he would stop being there for her if Jesse turned out to be a spy, yet here he was kneeling next to her making sure she was okay. Most importantly he was making sure her heart wasn't completely shattered.

* * *

"_I love you" _he said it. She wasn't imagining it either. He had told her that he loved her, followed by them singing "faithfully." She smiled because she had felt the same way in that very moment. She felt herself loving him even more as the day progressed, that is until she saw Jesse again. She loved Finn until she saw Jesse sing and perform on stage, until she saw him sing the song to _her. _

He looked over at her as she began to walk out. Her heart couldn't take anymore. She felt like a hypocrite, singing "faithfully" while thinking of Jesse. She had tried to get her mom to go to New Directions, but to no avail. She walked out of the room and headed to the lounge. Her heart was racing, in 30 minutes they would announce the winners. In 30 minutes she would find out if all the heartbreak and hard work had paid off.

"Gold looks beautiful on you." Rachel's eyes snapped up to meet Jesse's. He sat next to her slightly too close for comfort. "You did a great job out there. I personally would have loved to hear more Barbara, though."

"Well I think the solo choice was well, enough. Finn and I compliment each others voices perfectly." She smiled.

He looked over at her trying to read her. "So it seems. I take it you and Finn are an item now?"

She glanced at Jesse quizzically. What game was he playing at? "Yes, as a matter-of-fact we are."

"Ahh, the newest power couple in New Directions. Tell me dear, when you realize you two won't work out who will be next on your list?" Rachel glared at Jesse.

"Is that jealousy I detect? Green doesn't suit you, Jesse." She sternly arose from her seat and began to walk away only to be stopped by Jesse's strong hold on her arm.

"Yes Rachel, it is jealousy. It breaks my heart to know that the only reason you are here now is to be a reminder of what I'll never have, what we'll never be."

Rachel's eyes closed before the tears could threaten to fall. "Despite my actions, I cherish you greatly. You are the only woman I have given my heart fully to, unbeknownst to me." She turned to Jesse as she exhaled softly, regaining her composure. "I will always love you. Standing so close to you hurts to breathe you in. But you know better than I that we will never work. We will have to love each other in silence from afar." She kissed him softly on the lips, and walked away just as New Directions came through the doors. Finn lifted Rachel in his arms and kissed her, as Jesse watched Finn take his rightful place.

* * *

Please review! I beg you! It actually improves my will to write!


End file.
